UFC 133: Evans vs. Ortiz and 14 Upcoming Fights With Title Implications

With every UFC Champion currently scheduled to defend their title at least one more time before year's end, the list of possible contenders in each division is an ever changing landscape with injuries and upsets being the most probably culprits.

While much of the recent focus has been on who will face the winner of Jon "Bones" Jones and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson for the Light-Heavyweight Crown, there are a number of fights scheduled between now and year's end that make each divisions list of likely contenders worthy of discussion.

So while we wait to see who will be wearing UFC Gold come 2012, let's take a look at which upcoming fights will help to determine who's next in line to face the champ.

Rashad "Suga" Evans vs Tito "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Ortiz at UFC 133

While Rashad waited on the sidelines he saw his title shot go right past him. Although Evans will retain his No. 1 contender status if he gets past Ortiz, the risk of a loss will set him back quite a ways.

There is also plenty of time between now, UFC 135, and the next Light-Heavyweight title fight, so I would put any money of Suga necessarily being in that fight.

Even though it is unlikely Ortiz will get the next crack at the title with a win against Evans, thanks to the ultra-competitive nature of the light-heavyweight division, he will undoubtedly be considered a top-10 ranked fighter and contender again. Two things few people haven't considered Tito to be in quite some time now.

My bet is on the winner of this fight getting a rematch with Lyoto Machida, which will probably play out similar to each fighters first encounters with "The Dragon."

Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort vs Yoshihiro "Sexiyama" Akiyama at UFC 133

Vitor Belfort received criticism for having faced Anderson Silva for the title without actually fighting at Middleweight in the UFC, however few people acknowledged the fact that he fought twice in the division under the Affliction to include a win over Matt Lindland, who at the time was on a 10-fight win streak at 185 lbs.

He also received very little credit for defeating Rich Franklin in a catchweight bout at 195 lbs even though the only person to ever beat Franklin at Middleweight is current 185 kingpin Anderson Silva.

Yoshihiro Akiyama came into the UFC on a big hype train, and in all three of his outings has earned "Fight of the Night" honors. Unfortunately for Akiyama he's gone 1-2, and even the lone win came in controversial split-decision fashion.

Despite back-to-back losses, his past accomplishments and star power in Asia will keep him on the big fight cards, and a string of wins can put him back into the hunt.

A win for either of these fighters will earn another big name fight to move backup the ladder. For Belfort the goal is a rematch with Anderson Silva so he can prove the front kick to the face was a fluke. Akiyama may want to bring back the hype he got back at UFC 100 and prove his critics wrong.

If Belfort wins he will likely see his next fight be against the winner of Michael Bisping vs Jason Miller or Brian Stann, if he can get past Chael Sonnen. Likewise, Akiyama could also face Jason Miller or Stann, with a rematch against Bisping unlikely at this time.

Chad "Money" Mendes vs Rani Yahya at UFC 133

Chad Mendes was already in line to face current 145lbs Champion Jose Aldo, but in the ever changing fight world, things didn't line up right and instead we won't see Aldo until October and Mendes will be fighting to retain his No. 1(b) contender status at UFC 133.

Rani Yahya has already fought for the (WEC) 135 lbs belt once, and holds three "Submission of the Night" honors, but his back-to-back losses to Joseph Benavidez and Takeya Mizugaki made him make the move back to featherweight where he rebounded with a big win over Mike Brown.

Now he'll face a real test against Mendes to see if he's worthy of a future shot at the 145 lbs belt.

If everything goes to plan, which it "always" does in the UFC, a win for Mendes means his next fight should be against the winner of Jose Aldo vs Kenny Florian for the Featherweight title.

If Yahya is able to pull of the upset, then the landscape changes, and a matchup with the likes of Mark Hominick or Chan Sung Jump would be necessary to catapult him to the top of a short list of contenders.

Jim Miller vs Benson "Smooth" Henderson at UFC Live on Versus 5

Jim Miller is currently in a seven-fight win streak in the UFC with his only loss in the promotion to current No. 1 contender Gray Maynard.

His only other career loss was to current Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar back in 2006 under regional fight promotion Reality Fighting. So the big question here is, what else does this guy have to do to get a title shot and rematch against one of the only two guys to beat him?

Well the answer right now is get past Ben Henderson.

Ben Henderson was once the long reigning WEC Lightweight champion, and a win over Anthony Pettis would have gave him a shot at the UFC title in a unification bout. But "Showtime" had different plans and squeaked out a close decision thanks to his off the cage kick.

Of course, we all know how well things have since turned out for Pettis. By contrast, Henderson won his debut match in the UFC, and a win over Miller could put him that much closer to a title shot.

If the winner of this doesn't secure a title shot, which is more likely for Miller than Henderson, then look for a matchup with Sean Sherk, Melvin Guillard, Clay Guida, or even Anthony Pettis.

By UFC 136, only three different people will have completed in Lightweight title fights since April 2010, so I'm sure the list of contenders in waiting will be long and challenging.

Joseph Benavidez vs Eddie Wineland at UFC Live on Versus 5

Joseph Benavidez already has two fights with current Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz, and Dana White has stated that the winner of Brian Bowles vs Urijah Faber will be next in line.

Since very little is guaranteed in this business, there is no reason Benavidez can't fight his way to a third scrap with Cruz or a second chance at the belt or both (and not necessarily in the same fight).

Eddie Wineland has already worn (WEC) 135 lbs gold around his waste once, and his loss against Urjiah Faber definitely set him back a few steps from reclaiming his title, but a big win over Benavidez will answer the question if the 27-year-old former champ is a real contender or just a solid gatekeeper.

Just because a next-in-line matchup for the title is already been set doesn't mean the table is set. The winner of this fight could easily make a decent backup for a title shot or fight the winner of Bowles vs Faber if the belt-holder isn't readily available.

It's just too bad this isn't on the main card. 

Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs Forrest Griffin at UFC 134

Despite a devastating loss to Jon Jones in his last outing, Shogun Rua still remains one of the best fighters in the division and one of the best ever. While some have counted him out, he is still relatively young, and when he shows up healthy, it can be equally devastating for his opponents.

There is not doubt that a strong win against Forrest Griffin will be both retribution for his loss back in 2007 and bring him only one more fight away from reclaiming his title.

Forrest Griffin is the kind of guy you can never count out. Even though he's only fought twice since losing to Anderson Silva back in 2009, both fights have gone into the "W" column.

His fight with Ortiz was an exciting rematch that helped setup a future rubber match for the two, and similar to Ortiz, he's faced very tough competition with all six of his last outings against current or former UFC Champions.

The major difference is his record stands at 4-2. Everyone loves a comeback, but people seem to love Forrest Griffin even more, so look for a win to put him back on the fast track to the belt.

It is unlikely the winner of this won't have their next match be a No. 1 contender bout, but with the depth of the light-heavyweight division injuries would be the most likely culprit to prevent that from happening.

Depending on how things play out, look for the winner to face off against either Evans, Ortiz, Machida or Phil Davis.

Antonio "Minotauro" Rodrigo Nogueira vs Brendan "The Hybrid" Schaub at UFC 134

Big Nog hasn't had the best run in the UFC since coming over from Pride, but you can't count the legend out of the running just yet.

A win over a young, up-and-coming fighter like Schaub will prove he deserves one more chance to hang with the big boys. Thanks to his status and drawing power don't be surprised if he's fighting for a title shot after a convincing win this time around.

Since losing The Ultimate Figher to Big Country, Schaub has been on a tear in the division, but critics believe he hasn't been truly challenged.

Although his resume included wins over Mirko Cro Cop and Gabriel Gonzaga, those fights didn't take place in 2007, so the significance isn't as big as one might think. Schaub's biggest challenge to date could come against Big Nog, or we could end up seeing another legend past his prime.

We could see the winner of this fight face off against Frank Mir in a possible title-eliminator or against the winner of Cro Cop vs Nelson since a fight between Big Nog and Cro Cop would be a nice throwback to the old days of Pride, and the only blemish on Schaub's record is his KO loss to Roy Nelson. 

Jake Shields vs Jake Ellenberger at UFC Fight Night 25

Jake Shields was suppose to be the guy to beat GSP when he came over from Strikforce, but his less than stellar victory over Martin Kampmann left many wondering if that was a real possibility.

Although he managed to be the first fighter to win a round against the Welterweight Champ in quite some time, no one has been clambering for a rematch anytime soon. That doesn't change the fact that he is still one of the top guys in the division and only a couple wins away from a rematch.

Jake Ellenberger is on a four-fight tear since his debut loss to Carlos Condit. With GSP essentially clearing out the division, a big win against Shields could boost Ellenberger's status and put him on the shortening list of contenders.

Although it's unlikely he'll be next in line with a win here, he'll have at least earned a shot against someone who could put him in that position.

Shields needs this win to get back in the mix, and Ellenberger needs it to prove he can hang with the top fighters in the division.

You could be seeing one of these guys fight the winner of Carlos Condit vs BJ Penn, possibly Matt Hughes vs Diego Sanchez or the better matchup against John Fitch, assuming he thinks they're "worthy" of fighting him.

Chael "The American Gangster" Sonnen vs Brian "All American" Stann at UFC 136

We've seen Uncle Chael go from an instant rematch with Anderson Silva to being suspended indefinitely and facing federal felony charges. Now he is free to apply for a license, make a plea deal to avoid any prison time and we will see him face off in a classic "hero vs villain" matchup.

There is no doubt a win will return Sonnen to No. 1 contender status, but a loss to a fighter many are expecting him to beat will set him back to square one.

Brian Stann is a fan favorite, veteran, and finished all three of his opponents at middleweight. The only thing he's missing now is a win over a big name, highly ranked fighter. Enter Chael Sonnen. Now he gets his chance to show he has what it takes to be a serious contender in the division.

Thanks to his decision loss to Phil Davis at Light-Heavyweight, many feel Stann can't compete with top wrestlers, so in addition to being the hero, he's also the underdog. That's a story that can sell pay-per-views.

If Sonnen wins I can all but guarantee that his next fight will be against Anderson Silva, even if Silva is not wearing UFC gold around his waste when that happens. The only real question here is if a win for Stann will be enough to launch him to the front of the list.

My guess is no, and he'll need at least one more win over a big name to make the case. Bet on him facing the winner of Belfort vs Akiyama or Bisping vs Mayhem Miller. 

Carlos "The Natural Born Killer" Condit vs BJ "The Prodigy" Penn at UFC 137

Carlos Condit has been gunning for GSP ever since he crossed over from the WEC due to the weight class mergers. The only bump in the rode he's come across from both the WEC and UFC was a split-decision loss to Martin Kampmann back in April 2009.

Now, after taking down the tough Dong-Hyun Kim he's getting a shot against future Hall of Famer BJ Penn. If he wins, we may seem him fighting the unstoppable Canadian sensation sooner rather than later.

BJ Penn has been a UFC Champion in two divisions. He's fought in 10 championship fights. His last match with John Fitch was supposed to be a title eliminator, but it instead ended in a draw.

Dana White felt he won the match, and now he's getting another chance to prove he deserves a third-bout with GSP. Let's see if the most dominant lightweight champion in UFC history can prove once again that he's championship material.

While the winner of this bout will be wanting to fight for the title, I wouldn't be surprised if either of them would prefer to fight GSP with or without the belt. Then again depending on the outcome of GSP vs Diaz, we could see the winner of this fighting the winner of Shields vs Ellenberger.

It would only be fitting for Condit since he holds a win over Ellenberger and a loss to Sheilds.

Cheick Kongo vs Matt Mitrione at UFC 137

This matchup might seem like a bit of a stretch to make the list, but Cheick Kongo is a well established force in the heavyweight division who could see himself facing off against Brock Lesnar or Shane Carwin with a win over ndefeated up and comer like Mitrione.

Like Brendan Schaub he holds a win over Mirko Cro Cop, however his came back in 2007 when it still mattered.

Matt Mitrione will face his toughest test yet when he squares off against Kongo, his athletic ability and ever improving skill have enable him to finish four of his five opponents and earn "Fight of the Night" in the one bout that did go the distance.

If Mitrione can do the same to Kongo he will have earned a shot with top tier competition and be well on his way to a future title shot.

The best matchup for Kongo would be against Shane Carwin so we can see how he does against heavy handed striker with sold wrestling since his loss to current champ Cain Valasquez. Likewise a fight with Brock Lesnar would not be out of the question either as Kongo has shown trouble with wrestlers and Brock has demonstrated a prone weakness to strikers.

I'd like to see Mitrione face off against fellow TUF alumni Schaub or Big Country if they can also get past their upcoming tests.

George Roop vs Hatsu "Iron Broom" Hioki at UFC 137

I like to call this one the dark horse contender matchup. George Roop has been around the block a few times, but hasn't been able to string together any kind of win streak to be taken seriously as a contender.

His body shot TKO over Josh Grispi should have woke people up to his abilities, and even if it didn't clearly, Joe Silva was paying attention because Hastu Hioki is the perfect opponent for him to show he has what it takes to hang with the best.

Hatsu Hioki will make his UFC debut with all the weight on his shoulders in this matchup, even if the general public has idea who he is (he's ranked No. 2 right now).

If he passes his first test, he can make a strong case to be in line for the title, maybe even in front of Chad Mendes depending on how each contender's fight goes (remember how Edgar got the title before Maynard?).

If he can live up to the hype, there is little doubt he won't be fighting for the title come 2012.

Roop will need to string together a couple more wins before he can justify asking for a titleshot, but a strong upset here coupled with a win over someone like Mark Hominick or Manny Gamburyan will make that case stronger.

The only way I don't see Hioki fighting for the belt in his next outing is if there are extenuating circumstances such as injuries preventing it. If not, he will more than likely fight the winner of Chad Mendes vs Rani Yahya.

Brian Bowles vs Urijah "The California Kid" Faber

Brian Bowles only has one loss on his record, and that is to current UFC Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. His fight with Urijah Faber will be his third this year with the promise of a titleshot if he can deliver a win.

In fact Faber and Joseph Benavidez are probably the only two worthy guys Bowles hasn't beaten in the division, current champ Cruz aside.

In a division that is short on big name fighters the UFC will be capitalizing on Urijah Faber one more time and in return he has put back on the road to redemption in fast track fashion. But not to count him out, his only losses in the last three years have been in championship bouts.

While there is no rush among fans to see Cruz vs Faber III, the hype and back story could help to sell pay-per-views.

Just because it's been said the winner of this fight doesn't make it true, and while it would be nice to see Brian Bowles fight to reclaim his belt or Faber take on Cruz a third time, there are not guarantees and events could play out differently where we see neither fighter take on the Bantamweight champ in the first title defense of 2012. 

Michael "The Count" Bisping vs Jason "Mayhem" Miller at the TUF 14 Finale

Michael Bisping was hoping to face either Vitor Belfort, Nate Marquardt or Chael Sonnen after his win over Jorge Rivera, and for a minute there it looked like he might have got his wish in Sonnen, but unfortunately for all, Uncle Chael was unable to get licensed in time to coach opposite The Count on the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter.

Now he's left with Mayhem Miller, a fighter many expect him to beat, and thus even with a win won't move Bisping any further up the ladder.

Mayhem Miller is never one to run away from a fight, and when he was offered to chance to coach TUF and fight a big name fighter like Michael Bisping, why wouldn't he jump right on that?

While Miller is by no means considered a top tier fighter in the division by most, he is someone who has a celebrity that transcends MMA, and he is never one to put on a boring fight.

While a win over Bisping won't put him in the mix right away, it will at least put him on the right track and earn him another big name fighter to take on the best the UFC has to offer.

Like I said before, aside from an Akiyama vs Bisping rematch, the best move is for the winner of this fight to take on the winner of Belfort vs Akiyama, especially since Nate Marquardt is no longer in the UFC or the division.

That way, no matter who wins, you'll have a justifiable contender and counter-solution to Chael Sonnen.

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